Vocabulary Review Ecology

Portion of earth that supports life. Biosphere

Nonliving elements in an ecosystem. Abiotic Factors

Living elements in an ecosystem. Biotic Factors

All the individuals of the same species in an area. Population

A collection of interacting populations. Community

The community plus the physical factors in an area. Ecosystem

Variety of life in an area, usually measured as the number of species can live in an area. Biodiversity

The place where organisms live out their lives. Habitat

The role and position a species has in its environment. Niche

Animals that kill and eat other animals. Predator

Animals that predators hunt, kill and eat. Prey

The act of one organism feeding on another. Predation

A word that means “living together.” Symbiosis

A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited. Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit. Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of the other. Parasitism

Organisms that are able to make their own food. Autotrophs

Organisms that are not able to make their own food Organisms that are not able to make their own food. They must ingest food. Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain nutrients by eating other organisms. Consumers

Animals that feed on animals that have already died. Scavengers

Organisms that feed on dead or decaying plants or animals break them down into simpler molecules and return them to the soil. Decomposers

A simple model that scientists use to show how matter and energy move through an ecosystem. Food Chain

Feeding step in a food chain. Trophic Level

Energy decreases as tropic level increases. (True or False)

Only 10 percent of energy is transferred from one tropic level to the next. (True or False)

The initial source of energy for ecological pyramids is energy from where? The Sun

Cycle where water is reused over and over again. The Water Cycle

The air is what percent nitrogen. 78%

6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 + 6O2 Photosynthesis

6O2 + C6H12O6 --> 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy Cellular Respiration

Plant-eaters Herbivores

Organism that eat plants and animals Omnivore

Organism that eat only animals. Carnivore

It takes a large number of producers to support a small number of primary consumers. (True or False)

Interconnected food chains that show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem Food Web

A J-shaped curve shows what type of population growth? Exponential Growth

Cutting down trees to build houses. Deforestation

This gas causes global warming. Increased CO2

Another name for autotrophic Nutrition. Photosynthesis

The number of organisms of one species that an environment can support. Carrying Capacity

Any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, of distribution of organisms. Limiting Factor

The study of human population growth characteristics. Demography

Movement of individuals into a population. Immigration

Movement of individuals out of a population. Emigration

An increase in the size of a population over time. Population Growth

An S-Shaped curve shows what kind of population growth Logistic Growth